Vacanza d'Italia, Ultima Parte

So, I am back in the States and already a week has gone bye since I
left Bella Italia. But, let me start, where I left off the last time.
For the second week of vacation, we moved into a
suburb of Venice, a town called Mogliano Veneto.
The apartment was good, but a totally different feeling
than Lake Idro, since it was nestled in a regular neighborhood of
the city. I was also missing the cooling effect of the lake, since the
temperatures were creeping up on us in the mid to high 30s.


Nevertheless, we had new places to explore and the first trip took
us to the very north-east side of Itlay to visit the Grotta Gigante.
And Gigante it was. You enter the cave through stairs and after the
first couple of steps, you can see
the whole cave below you. The
cave as the dimension of roughly
100m high and 130 wide. You
go down 500 steps, walk across
the bottom and climb 500 back
up. Amazing!
It feels like walking the Mines of
Moria, you can see other people
moving in the distant like little glowing dots moving around. Cool.


After spending Monday at the beach, we made
or way to Venice on Tuesday. We took the local
train and when we arrived it felt like stepping
into the biggest tourist trap on earth.
TONS of people squeezing themselves through
small streets, clogged by street vendors trying
to sell all kind of junk. Luckily, we were able
to side step the main street ways to meander
through the small side streets of the town.
Amazingly, as soon as you leave the beaten
path, the streets are almost empty and you can find little
piazzas and places where hardly anybody
is around. After lunch, we made our way
back into the frenzy by going to Piazza
San Marco, the bridge of sighs and
of course the Rialto bridge.
By the time we went back to the
train station, we were totally exhausted.
There was just to much heat.
Overall, Venice was interesting, but I
would like to come back when it is
less hot and less crowded.

We also took a trip to Bologna, which was
another great town to visit. Covered
walkways are present throughout the city,
which make it easy to avoid the
blistering sun. The city has a more relaxed
feel to it, than Venice and you can tell it is
known as a student town. We had lunch
in a small restaurant and although the waiter
was, lets say, less motivated, the food was
good. And walking through the city there
was ample opportunity to get coffe and
ice-cream, which was outstanding.
Overall, I'd say Bologna was one of my favorite places to visit.

The last night we spent in Treviso and after
a long search for a place to eat, we settled
in this hidden place, which seem to be
specialized in fish.
And wow, what a meal we had.
Everything on the table tasted amazing,
from the Gnocci to the Cuttlefish.
Certainly a fitting end to a great vacation.




On Saturday it was time to say good-bye. Nina, Birgit and Jan dropped me
of at Venice airport and I made my way back to Detroit. Besides the typical
adventures of air-travel, late flights, annoying passengers, everything went
smoothly.

Overall, this was a real great vacation. I spent a lot of time with my family
and saw a lot of different places in a country I haven't been before.
What more can you ask for.

Now its back to work, but the next adventure is lurking around the
corner. Another week or so I will be owning a house and move to
Royal Oak.

Vacanza d'Italia, Secondo Parte

The first half off the vacation has
past and it went by very quickly.
Spending the day at Lake Idro,
truly feels like vacation.
The apartment we rented has a
great view of the lake and the
proximity to the mountains
keeps the temperatures reasonable
as well. Lake Idro has very clear
water and a swim in the lake is a
refreshing as can be. We spent our days alternating
into close cities and days relaxing at the lake.

Brescia: A city close by with a big
castle from the middle ages. We
meandered through the vast area
of the castle grounds, over draw
bridges, through hidden
pathways and up on the cistern.
Very cool.

Verona: The main attraction we
visited in Verona was the arena.
The theater is still being used for huge
opera productions during the
summer, but you can visit the
place in the afternoon, before
they prepare for the show.
Walking up the stairs of the amphitheater
it seems almost unreal that you know
these same steps have been walked
by a Roman citizen to see a couple of
gladiators fight each other to the death.

We also visited Bergamo and like all these other cities, it just
looks like a movie set for a Roman inspired movie. You walk
the same cobble stone roads like the Roman legions and you
look at the same buildings as kings in the middle ages. This
is my first time in Italy, but the sense of history in all these places
is amazing. And the food.......... not so much history, but pretty
amazing as well. The pizza here is different than the American
cousin. Thin crust, mozzarella cheese and fresh ingredients make
it taste great. I also has some seafood risotto, tortellini and other
dishes that were just awsome. And don't get me started on the
ice-cream. No comparison, hands-down.
Overall a relaxing and interesting vacation for the first week.
Now we are off to the Venice region.

Vacanza d'Italia, Prima Parte

Finally, after a VERY hectic week, even more insane than the last couple
of weeks, I am off to my vacation in Italy. The plan is to take a plan to
Frankfurt and than hop over the alpes to Verona, where my sister and family
will pick me up. So, here I am in Frankfurt on a 4 hour layover. I briefly
talked with my sister on the phone. The weather in Italy is great and
the house they rented seems to be awesome.
Can't wait to finally get there.
The flight was uneventful. The plane was not very full with many open seats.
I guess, I am used to fly around Christmas, where the planes are filled to
the brim. We depart on time and thanks to tail winds, we reached Frankfurt
30 minutes earlier. Lufthansa usually has descent food on their flights,
but this time it was awful. I had the fish and it was so overcooked
I could have used it to break the window in an emergency.
But now I am sitting in a nice cafe, with a real coffee and Broetchen.
The classic always gets the job done.
I am still thinking of work and what I didn't get done before leaving,
but the memory is fading and by tomorrow all that will occupy my brain is
sunshine, gelato, and vino.

I saw two movies on the plane.
Arthur: Mindless comedy and dull even for in-flight entertainment (2 stars)
Ringo: Quirky cartoon. A bit more interesting than Arthur, but nothing
to write your mom home about. Maybe I was to tired to get the subtle humor.

Vacation .... not soon enough

It's about 56 days until vacation, but I am afraid, I won't make it that far
without a break. Usually, I can tell that I need a break, because people
start to annoy me. I actually found myself getting loud with people because they
behave like stone-heads, but its really mostly me losing patience.
Luckily, the long 4th of July weekend is coming up and I seriously
consider extending it by a day or so and taking a short trip somewhere.
Vegas .............. maybe,
the Ocean ........ always an option.
Niagara Falls ........ never been there, might be a good trip for the Audi.


Audi Update:

Slowly, I don't feel like in a rental car any more. I get more familiar with
handling. Except the parking brake. It's not a lever anymore, but a switch
that turns the break on/off. I am still trying to pull the lever every time
I shut off the car. I am sure, I'll get used to it eventually.
And, I still have not found a cool nick name for the Audi. The name
'Black Pearl' was floated around. Maybe the German version
"Schwarze Perle" would fit better.
Since the car talks I could name it KITT, too. Oh nooooo, bad 80s flashback.

The A4 Experience

I've been driving the Audi, no nickname yet, around for a couple of days now
and it slowly doesn't
feel like a rental car anymore.
The shifting is slowly getting
better, too. The engine and gearbox
in the A4 are quite different from
the  Jetta, so shifting is still
somewhat rough and jerky.

The very Audi daylight running LED lights.

I really like the form of the car.
It is a 4 dour sedan, but still has
a sporty look to it.

The wheels help to make the car
look good, too.

The instruments are clear
and easy to read. The LCD
screen in the middle helps to
keep the eyes from wandering
to the main display.

Of course, a manual gearbox.
It's a little bit strange to get used
to 6 gears, but I am sure, over time,
it will become second nature.

 The main display, here with rear view camera.

Overall, awesome ride for the last couple of days.

So long, Schnitzelwagen.

All good times come to an end. After almost 10 years, I decided to
buy a new car and today, I traded the trusty Schnitzelwagen for a new
Audi A4. I can't believe that I've driven the Jetta for almost 10 years.
I still remember the day I picked it up from the VW dealership in
Bloomington. This was the first car I ever bought new, so I was very
excited. It was September 10th, 2001 and you can imagine, how the
excitement vanished the next day.

Over the years, I always enjoyed driving the Wagon around, especially
after using a rental for a while. There were ups and downs for sure.
I remember watching in horror, when a block of ice come of a truck
just outside Boston and hit the car at 70mph. The result was a split
oil pan. Or, when I pounded the steering wheel, because I needed to
drive from Boston to Detroit and the engine decided it was time to kick
it back at 1100rpm and don't worry about the gas pedal.
But, what is that against a nice spring day, the sun roof open and driving
along the countryside.
In the end, the Schnitzelwagen got a bit long in the tooth and the little
things just started piling up. I am hoping the new Audi will be as good
as the Jetta.

I also need a new nickname. The original Schnitzelwagen was derived
from Schnitzel-Wagon, but since the Audi is no wagon, that won't work.
I have to think about it.

In the mean time, I hope the Schnitzelwagen will find a nice home where
it can enjoy its retirement.

So long, Schnitzelwagen.

Space Shuttle era is coming to an end ...

With the landing of the Endeavour today the era of the Space Shuttle is slowly
coming to an end. There is only one mission left and the US will be without
a space craft that can transport people into space.



I always thought the Space Shuttle is one of the most amazing engineering
feats, I have seen. As a kid, I remember being glued to the TV to watch
the first start of Columbia. Over the years, shuttle starts became routine
and it seem going to space was a easy as flying around the world.
Of course, the Challenger disaster and later the Columbia tragedy made
us realize that space exploration is still a dangerous adventure, but in
general the shuttle flights and the ISS, for that matter, made space
exploration look normal.
I think the shuttle in that sense suffered the same fate as the Apollo
program, where the public interest would fade and the excitement about
the technology would be left for geeks, like me.
Of course, the US has a program for a new space vehicle as some point in
time, but it certainly is not going to be as cool as the shuttle.
And of course, past and current presidents have expressed interest in
keep space exploration going, with either going back to the Moon or
shoot for Mars, but it all sounds half hearted, without much 
force behind it.
It seem like we are missing the drive and maybe the competition to
strive for something extraordinary. I remember watching a TV series
about the Apollo program with started with a pledge from Kennedy during
a speech in Texas:


At the time, the motivation certainly was the space race with the Russians
and maybe we need something similar again to kick off our interest in space.
My guess is as soon as the first Chinese astronaut sets foot on the moon,
we will get exited about it again. Or, maybe, we will go to Mars.
Who knows. But its not going to be in a Space Shuttle.

Happy Easter!!

Finally a descent weekend, just in time for Easter. Made it to the driving
range yesterday, with mixed results, as usual. Today was not as sunny,
but still warm enough to take a walk through Lakeshore park.

There are some signs of spring and slowly, fresh green is taking over.
I hope this is a sign, that old man winter is finally saying good-bye to
Michigan. For some reason it seemed longer this year, but I do rememeber
Winterstorms in Boston and Detroit just before Easter.

Movie Update:
Certified Copy (3/5)
Certified Copy is a strange, artsy movie playing in Italy. The story line
plays in Tuscany where a middle-aged British writer, while promoting his
latest book, meets a French woman who leads him to the village of
Lucignano. While there, a chance question reveals something deeper.

Originally, I thought the plot was strange and half way through, I thought
I missed the boat altogether. But the story kept me thinking and after a while,
it made a little bit more sense. Together with the beautiful cinematography
the movie deserves 3 stars, despite the mind boggling screen play.

Always look on the bright side of life

Well, well, April's Fools is over, but I guess the Schnitzelwagen decided
to play a joke on me anyhow. I got in my car on Monday to the sound of
metal breaking in the front suspension. GREAT!! I drove around for a
while, but every time I turn the steering wheel, a loud popping sound
emerges from the front of the car.
Not knowing what is was, I called AAA to have the car towed to the dealer.
Turns out to be a broking coil spring. Super....... This is getting annoying.
The reliable Jetta is showing its age lately. Not sure what to make of it.
Maybe its time to look for Schnitzelwagen II...................
It certainly doesn't help my mood, that it is raining here all day long
and temperatures are still well below spring time......
But hey, remember the words of the wise British and it ain't to bad:
"Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best..."




That's right. This spring is going to be awesome. There will be sunshine
for the next 8 months and I will hit a 90 on the golf course every time.

So there.


Movie Update: Paul (3.5/5)
Saw the movie 'Paul' the other day. It's about two British Sci-Fi fans touring
the USA and meeting the alien Paul. Not the most original idea, but still an 
entertaining film to watch, with plenty nods to the sci-fi movie world.
It was made by the same guys who did 'Hot Fuzz' and I like these kind
of movies. A solid 3.5 stars.

North America Round Trip Endgame

All good thing has to come to an end, eventually. The same goes
this trip. On Thursday, it was time to say good bye to Toluca.
One last cab ride to the airport. One last security checkpoint and
I am sitting at the gate waiting for the ride back to the USA.
In summary, the trip was, what I expected. It had some interesting
moments and luckily the work potion of it went very smooth, so I
didn't have to do any last minute fixes, like the last time I was here.
This being the second time I've been to Mexico, I certainly felt more
at ease with the environment, although I would have to say that I
really need to learn at least some basic Spanish, if I'd make the trip
again. Not speaking the local language at all, makes even the simpliest
thing, like taking a cab ride, complicated. Speaking of cab rides,the
last day in the hotel I read some internet article warning of using the
green-white checkered cabs in Toluca, because they are not safe.
Mmmm, all the cabs I took from GM to the hotel were green-white
checkered. They were old, noise smelly, but I didn't feel unsafe.
Blissful ignorance, I guess.....

The flight back was rather uneventful and filled with the typical
travel annoyances. Here are a couple of stand-up comedians, that
pretty much sum up air travel for me:


Jerry Seinfeld: Classic!


Ellen Degeneres. Funny.


So, I made it back to Novi, where I woke up with a couple inches of
snow, putting the country side under a white blanket. And as my car
is sliding down the street, I realize that this trip is over.
Ahhhh, pure Michigan.

Its a Derby!

Since I went to Toluca for business and not just for the pure fun of it,
I have to make the journey from the hotel to GM and back. The first days,
I was driving with Jim, since he was brave enough to rent a car down here.
But he went off to Mexico City to test his driving skills there, leaving me with
the only reasonable choice to get a cab. Fine, no problem. So, as I was
leaving GM tonight, I got lucky that a cab just pulled up to unload some
passengers. My customer was gracious enough the explain to the cab driver
where I needed to be and off we go. The cab was an older style VW Derby,
the back seat was covered with a solid piece of hard foam for 'extra' comfort.
The open windows provided the air conditioning and extra aroma while standing
next to a truck at a traffic light. Although, a traffic light is just a suggestion here.
So while we are zipping through intersections, I am trying to guess my chances
of survival, in case we get hit by a car, truck or bus. Luckily, the cab driver knows
his way around and we driving trough side roads towards the hotel. Traffic in
Toluca is chaotic and I am glad I am not trying to drive myself. After I had
my feet on solid ground again, I was trying to think back the last time I had
such an 'exciting' cab ride. The only other time I can remember was taking
a cab in Prague at night, in an old Russian car, where the driver was trying to
prove, how fast he can go and that brakes are really an optional accessory in
a car.
Ah well, tomorrow is my last day at GM and Thursday I am heading back
to wintry Michigan.

North America Round Trip Part 3

Travel Days are no fun. First, I stayed up all night because I had to catch the
flight to Houston at 6AM. I am checking my boarding pass and I am in the
last row. Worst seat in the house, right next to the bathroom. Super!
So, during the 3 hour flight, I'll get a whiff of Eau de Continental every couple
of minutes. Nice. Changed planes in Houston and
the flight to Toluca was a breeze, until I had to go through customs.
Apparently, the scanner didn't like my little toolkit, so I had to unpack and
show everything, twice, before they were certain I don't pose a risk
to Mexico. Ah well, Jim picked up the rental and asking the manager for
directions to the hotel. "It's easy, just do a U-turn, take the  highway to the
left and in about 5 miles the hotel is on your right." RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHT!.......................
Let's just say it took us more than a couple 'easy' minutes to find it.
But, we made it after all and the day is turning to the better.
First, my room is really big with a huge TV. Second,
I am reading in the FREEP that Detroit is getting a bunch of snow, while I
change into a short sleeve shirt. Sorry, keep your chin up and the shovels
moving. There will be better days.
And last but not least, I had a huge steak at a Argentinian restaurant around 
the corner. Now, I am sitting stuffed to the gills, watching Mexican television.
Mmmmm, maybe travel days are not half bad after all.

North America Round Trip Part 2

Oh Canada! Oh Toronto Traffic!. Ah well, after spending the day teaching
a class at the customer site, it was time to say good bye to Oshawa and
returning to Michigan. Since Donald had the rental, I didn't have to take
the train back, but was looking forward to a 5 hour drive through Ontario.
We were ready to go and turned the car westwards just in time to hit
the rush-hour in Toronto. Beautiful! Nearly 2 hours stop-and-go. 
Great! I had to be back in Windsor before 11PM, because the parking lot
at the train station would close and I still needed my car to drive back
to Novi. So, as we sitting in snarling traffic, I am getting concerned.
Luckily, the pace improved and we hit Windsor around 9. I got in the
car and hit the tunnel to the US. It was a little bit of a weird feeling. I
never had entered the USA by car before. But, the immigrations officer
only had a couple of questions and I was back in Detroit.

Today, I spend pretty much the whole day preparing for the next trip.
Mexico! The plane leaves at 6AM, so I decided to stay up and sleep
on the plane. It will be a hop to Houston and then across the border
to Toluca. I'll keep you posted.

North America Round Trip Part 1

So, I am sitting in a Holiday In in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. I have a training
class to teach tomorrow, so I turn on the laptop and ....................... nothing,
nada zilch, nix, no desktop. F!@#$%K.
OK, calm down, remember Windows 101. When in doubt, use safe mode.
After a couple attempts, the computer finally boots in safe mode
and after another 2 restarts, I got my computer back. Puh, close call.
But from the beginning. I started my North American round-trip today,
which takes me to Canada for two days and then off to Mexico.
Should be fun. For the Canada trip, I tried something different and used the
train from Windsor to Oshawa. Oh boy, first I drove to Windsor, just across
the river from Detroit, passed through the border and parked my car at the
train station. Being used to the German train system, I admit, I've been spoiled,
but the cars had WIFI and the seats were better than in an airplane.
And, being driven throughthe country side at warp speed 60mph is still better
than driving on a highway myself. I made it to Toronto and had to switch
trains, no problem, besides the fact, that people didn't seem to understand my
English accent. Every time I asked "Is this the train to Oshawa", they would
answer in French. Strange. But hey, I made it. Actually, every time I hear
the people speak here, it reminds me of this great Molson Commercial:




Well, tomorrow, I will head back to the US of A and than brush up
my non existing Spanish, because I am going to head South of the Border.

Food: I ate at this great Japanese place here, all you can eat Sushi
and everything, fresh made, from the Miso soup to the Green Tea ice cream.
Awesome!

PACKERS won the Super Bowl!!!

Unbelievable! The Packers actually won
the Super Bowl. After an impressive run
through the playoffs, beating the 'mighty'
Bears in Chicago for the NFC Title,
they also beat the Steelers in the final game
to win it all. WOW!
It has been a long time coming, 14 years
since they won the last time. I remember
celebrating at Water Street in Milwaukee,
skipping class the next day. Good Times!
I have to hand to the Packers though. They had a lot of
injuries, but didn't whine or complain.
They simple played the hand they were given and made
the best of it. Also, a shoutout to the Steelers. They
came back in the second half and made a game of it,
more than I liked actually. But, all's well that ends well.


Movie Update: The Kingss Speech (4/5)
The movie is about King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist Lionel Logue, who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.

I really enjoyed watching this movie.
Of course, there was no action and
exploding cars, but the acting was just
superb. The movie was well written and
the humor very British. Just an example:



Lionel Logue: [as George "Berty" is lighting up a cigarette] Please don't do that.
King George VI: I'm sorry?
Lionel Logue: I believe sucking smoke into your lungs will kill you.
King George VI: My physicians say it relaxes the throat.
Lionel Logue: They're idiots.
King George VI: They've all been knighted.
Lionel Logue: Makes it official then.

---

The movie has been nominated for a ton of Oscars and it certainly deserves
it. 4 out of 5 Stars from me.